A WOMAN who was gored by a stag while on holiday in the Highlands has said she would like to encounter the animal again to prove she has overcome her ordeal.

Kate Stone, from Cambridge, was seriously injured near Fort William in December 30, 2013 when the stag speared her in the throat after charging in panic.

The 45-year-old was placed in a medical coma while she recovered from the injury, and it was initially feared that she would struggle to eat again, but she has now made a full recovery.

Dr Stone returned to the Highlands last week to go on a 30-mile hike through the Cairngorms, and said that she hoped to see the stag on her travels after it was identified by people living in the area.

She said: "They know which one it was. It is an old stag which hangs around the area. It is still there so I will go back and see it."

Dr Stone spent two days hiking the Lairig Ghru trail to mark the year's anniversary since her brush with death. She spent three months in hospital after being injured by the stag, which struck her as she and a group of friends returned to a house in Lochailort, Inverness-shire, in the dark.

She said: "It was quite scary being out on my own, but I know most of what holds us back is irrational fear. For me, going back into the mountains for the first time since my accident was a big deal. It's about overcoming your fears."